Mexican mayor shot dead inside town hall

A local mayor in central Mexico was shot dead inside town hall facilities, authorities said Wednesday.

The victim was Valentin Lavin, mayor of Temoac in the state of Morelos. The source described Morelos as a region close to Mexico City where several drug cartels are active. Lavin was allied to President Claudia Sheinbaum's leftist party.

Local media reports said Lavin had survived an armed attack in January. The state prosecutor's office said forensic experts and police officers found his body inside local government facilities. It said an operation was underway to arrest those responsible.

Official figures show that almost 100 mayors have been murdered in Mexico since 2006, when drug-related violence surged. The country was particularly shocked last November when mayor Carlos Manzo was fatally shot in Michoacan state during Day of the Dead celebrations.